In a wild night under the lights at Daytona, it all came down to the video. This wreck filled race had produced many exciting moments the least of which was the finish. So who won?
Kerry Eanrhardt was on the pole for his first ever Craftsman series race, when the green flag dropped. Earnhardt immediatly got loose and almost started a chain reaction from the very beginning. This would set the tone for the rest of the evening. The first yeloow would come out a couple of laps later when Todd Bodine got loose bumping Rick Crawford, sending him skidding across the infield grass, and rolling once landing on his wheels. Crawford was able to get his truck restarted and back to the pits.
Coming out of turn 4 on lap 49, Kerry Earnhardt finally caused the wreck he had threatened on the first lap. He spun into the wall and collected 8 other trucks on his way. Fortunately no one was injured. Several laps later, demoted Nextel Cup driver Brendan Gaughan, was trying to gain a lap back and was racing the leader Mike Skinner. Gaughan lost control taking out Skinner, and 3 other trucks. Needless to say Skinner wasn't very happy, "I don't know what happened," Skinner said. "Either he ran out of talent or brains or luck. I'm not sure."
Not all the problems were on the track either. Continuing the issues that plagued the ARCA race earlier in the week, Brad Keselowski slid though his pit stall into the rear of Dennis Setzer's truck, pinning a crewmember. The trucks were finally pulled apart and the crewmember was taken over the wall with only a bruised leg.
Bobby Hamilton was leading with 8 laps to go when Jimmy Spencer was able to get by him. Just as the lead changed, Dennis Setzer bumped Chad Chaffin sending him into the infield grass and flipping once. Fortunately Chaffin was able to land on his tires and was ok. Setzer was also spun out along with Terry Cook and Johnny Benson.
Hamilton was able to retake the lead on the restart with one lap to go, but it wouldn't last long as Spencer was passing on the outside just as an 8 truck pileup took place behind them. Spencers team thought they had won and were celebrating on Victoy Lane when an official told Spencer of the scoring change. Spencer packed up and made way for the amended winner, Bobby Hamilton. The officials had ruled that Spencer was not past Hamilton when the caution lights came on, therefore Hamilton should have finished in first under caution.
The win made Hamilton the first winner to have started in last place.
FINISHING POSTITIONS
1 36 #04 Bobby Hamilton Dodge Lufkin Pro Series 185/5 100 Running
2 21 #2 Jimmy Spencer Dodge Team ASE 175/5 100 Running
3 6 #66 Todd Bodine Toyota Fiddle Back Racing 175/10 100 Running
4 26 #99 Ricky Craven Ford Superchips 165/5 100 Running
5 31 #1 Ted Musgrave Dodge Mopar 155/0 100 Running
6 32 #08 Ken Weaver Chevrolet 1-800-4-A-Phone 150/0 100 Running
7 13 #29 Brad Keselowski Ford SUBcrews.com 151/5 100 Running
8 24 #75 David Starr Chevrolet Spears Manufacturing 142/0 100 Running
9 35 #24 Wayne Edwards Chevrolet Mighty Motorsports 138/0 100 Running
10 17 #23 Johnny Benson Toyota TRD 139/5 100 Running
11 25 #88 Matt Crafton Chevrolet Menards 130/0 99 Accident
12 14 #17 David Reutimann Toyota NTN Bearings 132/5 99 Accident
13 15 #16 Jack Sprague Chevrolet Chevy Trucks 124/0 99 Accident
14 30 #4 Casey Atwood Dodge Bailey's 121/0 99 Accident
15 20 #59 Robert Pressley Dodge Melling Select Oil Pumps 123/5 99 Accident
16 2 #46 Dennis Setzer Chevrolet Chevrolet Silverado 120/5 99 Accident
17 22 #02 Kelly Sutton Chevrolet Team Copaxone 112/0 99 Running
18 34 #21 Mike Harmon Chevrolet Global Pigeon Supply 109/0 99 Running
19 3 #12 Robert Huffman Toyota Toyota Tundra 106/0 96 Accident
20 12 #10 Terry Cook Ford Power Stroke Diesel 108/5 96 Accident
21 9 #30 Chad Chaffin Toyota Toyota Tundra 105/5 95 Accident
22 5 #13 Tracy Hines Chevrolet ThorSport Racing 97/0 90 Accident
23 18 #62 Steve Park Dodge Orleans Hotel & Casino 94/0 82 Engine
24 28 #07 Sean Murphy * Chevrolet Green Light Racing 91/0 81 Running
25 16 #5 Mike Skinner Toyota Toyota Tundra 93/5 73 Accident
26 27 #6 Ron Hornaday Chevrolet GM Goodwrench 90/5 67 Running
27 33 #8 Deborah Renshaw Dodge BHR2 82/0 66 Radiator
28 29 #38 Brandon Whitt Toyota Cure Autism Now/McMillin Homes 79/0 64 Running
29 4 #22 Bill Lester Toyota SunTrust 81/5 63 Accident
30 10 #77 Brendan Gaughan Dodge Jasper Engines & Transmissions 78/5 61 Accident
31 23 #18 Chase Montgomery Dodge Bobby Hamilton Racing 70/0 49 Accident
32 11 #50 Todd Kluever * Ford Shell ROTELLA T 67/0 67 Accident
33 8 #19 Regan Smith * Chevrolet Xpress Motorsports 69/5 48 Accident
34 7 #9 Shigeaki Hattori * Toyota AISIN / AISIN AW 61/0 48 Accident
35 1 #15 Kerry Earnhardt * Chevrolet Kraft Foods / Albertson's 63/5 47 Accident
36 19 #14 Rick Crawford Ford Circle Bar Motel/RV Park 55/0 10 Accident
* Denotes Rookie
